Collapsible umbrella



Feb. 23, 1965 s. MEYER COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.24, 1962 INVENTOR. fimm/w MA /2 Feb. 23, 1965 s. MEYER COLLAPSIBLEUMBRELLA 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 24, 1962 l NVEN TOR. S/MF/P/iy Maw?BY Feb. 23, MEY

COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 24. 1962 P i M W5 W hm a ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice r, 3,170,474 Patented Feb. 23,1965 3,170,474 COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA Siegfried Meyer, 250 W. 91st St.,New York, NY. Filed Oct. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 232,758 9 Claims. (Cl.13526) This invention relates in general to umbrellas, parasols and thelike, and in particular to umbrellas, parasols and the like which areadapted to be collapsed when closed to a substantially reduced length.

When certain collapsible umbrellas, which have been known heretofore,are collapsed to reduced length, the umbrella material, serving as thecanopy, cover, shade, screen, etc. bunches together forming a bulky masson the outside of the umbrella rod or staif. This bulky mass of materialis then usually stuffed, with difficulty, into an umbrella case orcovering. 7

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide animproved collapsible umbrella in which the umbrella material does notbunch together on the outside of the umbrella rod or staff when it iscollapsed and which may be used without an umbrella covering or casewhen it is collapsed.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide acollapsible umbrella, in which there is substantially no excess materialpresent on the outside of the umbrelia rod or stafli when it iscollapsed, and which resembles in its outward appearance an ordinaryclosed folding urnbrella of reduced length.

. These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention inwhich the excess material, which would be present on the outside of theumbrella rod or staff when the umbrella is collapsed, is drawn withinthe umbrella rod or stafi. I The collapsible umbrella of the presentinvention comprises a central rod having an upper.

and a lower tubular rod section, said upper rod section being adapted toslide telescopically into said lower rod section, a collapsible ribstructure pivotally attached to the upper end of said upper rod section,an umbrella canopy supported by said collapsible rib structure, apulling means located within said upper rod section and attached to.thecentral portion of said umbrella canopy, said pulling means beingadapted to ,pull a portion of the umbrella canopy within said upper rodsection when said the umbrella of greatly reduced length;

FIGURE 4 is an enlargedlongitudinal sectional view ofthe umbrellastructure shown in FIGURE'I;

FiGURE 5 is. an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the collapsedumbrella'structure shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal View partly in "section illustrating "thecollapsing of the umbrella ribs;

FIGURE 7 is a. transverse sectional view taken on line presentinvention;

still a further embodiment of the umbrella structure of the presentinvention.

With reference to the drawings, a collapsible central rod or staffhaving upper and lower tubular rod sections 15 and 16 is so arrangedthat the upper rod section 15 slides telescopically into the lower rodsection 16.

Afiixed to the upper end portion of said upper rod section is a crownmember 17 to which are pivotally attached the inner extremities ofradiating collapsible rib structures for supporting the umbrella coveror canopy 18. Each such rib structure comprises an inner hollow member19 and an outer solid member 20. These rib members are adapted to betelescoped and are guided toward each other by a sleeve 21 sliding onthe hollow rib member 19 and attached to the inner end of the solid ribmember 20. The rib braces 22 are hinged on one side to the inner ends ofthe outer rib members 20, and on the other side to the runner 23, whichis adapted to slide longitudinally upon the central rod or staff.

The upper rod section 15 is provided with a depressible stop spring 24to engage and hold the runner 23 in its upwardly moved rib structurespreading position, when the umbrella is arranged in its open or serviceposition. The upper rod section 15 is also provided near its lower endportion, with a depressible projection 25, which fits into a suitablylocated opening 26 in the upper portion of the lower rod section 16 andserves to lock the upper and lower rod sections together and limitfurther movernent when the upper rod section is moved out of the lowerrod section to the position of maximum umbrella length. Afiixed to thefree or lower extremity of the lower rod section 1 6 is a handle memberor knob 27 of any desired ornamental shape.

v cap 29 which in turn [is aiiixed to the lower extremity of the upperrod section 15. The bar or rod 28 is attached at its upper extremity toa top cap 30. A spring 31, coiled around and adapted .to slidelongitudinally upon said rod or bar '28, is attached atone end to thelower extremity of the rod or bar 28 and at the other end to an eyelet32 which is affixed to the central portion of the umbrella canopy. Whenthe umbrella is opened the spring 31 is taut as shown in FIGURE 4 andthe umbrella material is spread out tightly over the ribs. Uponcollapsing theumbrella, the telescoping of the rib members permits thespring to fall back or collapse to its position of shorter length (asshown in FIGURE 5) thereby pulling the umbrella canopy with it andbringing the excess umbrella matenial within'the upper rod section 15.FIGURE 10 illustrates another embodiment of my invention in which thespring 31 hasbeen omitted and a string 33 is attached at oneend to theeyelet 32. The other end hangs freely outside the umbrella and has athickened portion or knot 34 to prevent its falling back within theumbrella. .When the umbrella is collapsed to reduced length, the excessumbrella material is pulled FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal sectional viewillustrating I within the upper rod section 15 by pulling the string. Ifdesired, the rod or bar 28 and the lower and top caps29 and 30, may bealso omitted in this embodiment.

FIGURE 11 illustrates a still further embodiment of rriy invention inwhich the string 33 is used together with the spring 31, both of whichare attached to the eyelet .32. Thus, if for some practical reason onewishes to use the springfor only partially drawing the excess canopymaterial, the string may be util zed to draw the balance. Also, when theumbrella is collapsed, the string maybe pulled it the spring has not forsome reason pulled in all the excess umbrella material, orin the eventthe spring breaks.

Although I have described tain degree of particularity, it is understoodthat the my invention with a oer-- present disclosure has been made onlyby way of exam 1.'A collapsible umbrella comprising a central rod havingan upper and a lower tubular rod section, said upper rod section beingadapted to slide telescopically into said lower rod section, acollapsible rib structure pivotally attached to the upper end of saidupper rod section, an umbrella canopy supported by said collapsible ribstructure, and pulling means located and longitudinally disposed withinsaid upper rod section and attached at its upper end to the centralportion of said umbrella canopy, said pulling means being adapted topull a portion of the umbrella canopy within said upper rod section whensaid rib structure is collapsed. I V 2. A collapsible umbrellacomprising a central rod having an upper and a lower tubular rodsection, said' upper 'rod section being adapted to slide telescopicallyinto said lower rod section, a collapsible rib structure pivotallyattached to the upper end of said upper rod sec-I tion,an umbrellacanopy supported by said collapsible rib structure,-a longitudinal'barlocated within said upper rod section and attached at its lower end tothe lower portion of said upperrod section, a spring coiled around saidlongitudinal bar and attached at one end to the lower portion of saidlongitudinal bar and at the other end to the central POItlOIl'Of saidumbrella canopy, said spring I being adapted to slide longitudinallyupon said longitudinal bar, whereby said spring pulls a portion of theumt brella canopy within said upper rod section when said rib structureis collapsed.

3. A collapsible umbrella comprising a central rod having an upper and alower tubular rod section, said upper rod section being adapted to slidetelescopically into said lower rod section, a collapsible rib structurepivotally attached to thejupper endof said upper rod f section, anumbrella canopy supported by said collapsible lohgitudinalbar and at theother end to said eyelet, said sparing being adapted to slidelongitudinally upon said longitudinal bar, whereby said spring pulls aportion of f the umbrella canopy within said upper rod section when saidrib structure is collapsed,

l 4. A collapsible umbrella comprising a central rodihaving an upperand'a'lower tubular rod section, said upper rod'section being adapted toslide telescopically into said lower rod section, a collapsibleribstructure pivotally attached to the upper end of said supper. rodsection, an

umbrella canopy supported by said collapsible rib struc- 'ture, aneyelet attached to the central portion of said umbrella canopy, alongitudinal bar located within said upper rod section and attached'a-tits lower end to the p lower portion of saidtupper rod section, saideyeletbeing j adapted to slide longitudinally upon said longitudinalbar,

V a cap attached totthe upper portion of said longitudinal bar abovesaid eyelet, a spring'coiled around said longitudinal bar and attachedat oneend to the lower portion rod section being adapted to'slidetelescopically into said lower rod section, a collapsible rib structurepivotally attached to the-upper end of said upper rodsection, anumbrella canopy supported by said collapsible rib structure, a stringlocated within said upper rod section, having one end attached to thecentral portion of said urnbrella canopy and the other end hanging'outside'said umbrella, said string being adapted to pull a portion ofthe umbrella canopy within said upper rod section when said ribstructure is'collapsed v 6. A collapsible umbrella comprising a centralrod hav-- ing an upper and a lower tubular rod section, said upper rodsection being adapted to slide telescopically into said lower rodsection, a collapsible rib structure pivotally attached to the upper endof said upperrod'section, an umbrella canopysupported by saidcollapsible rib structure, an eyelet attached to thecentral portion ofsaid umbrella canopy, a string located within said Upper rod section,

having one end attached to said eyelet and the other end attached to theupper end offsaid upperrod section, an

umbrella canopy supported by said collapsiblenrib structure, an eyeletattached to the central portion of said umbrella canopy, a longitudinal'bar located Within said upper rod section and attached at its lower endto the lower portion of said upper rod section, said eyelet beingadapted to slide longitudinally upon said longitudinal bar, a springcoiled around said longitudinalbar and attached at one end to the lowerportion of said longitudinal bar and at the other endto said eyelet,said spring being adapted to slide longitudinally uponsaid longitudinalbar,

- a string located within said upper rod section, having one endattached to said eyelet and the other end hanging outside said umbrella,said spring and stringbeing adapted to pull aportion of the umbrellacanopy withinjsaid upper rod section when said rib structure iscollapsed. I

8. A collapsible umbrella comprising a central rod having an upper and alower tubular rod secti0n,"s'aid upper rod sectionbeingl adapted toslide telescopically into said lower rod section, a collapsible ribstructure pivotally attached to the upper end ofsaid upper-rod section,

of said longitudinal bar and at the other end'to said-eye-i let, saidspring being adapted to slide longitudinally upon said longitudinal bar,whereby said spring pulls a portion of the-umbrella canopy within saidupper rod section when said rib structure is collapsed.

I A collapsible umbrella comprising a central rod having an upper and alower tubular rod section,said upperan umbrella canopy supported by saidcollapsible rib structure, a longitudinal bar located withinlsa'idupperrod section and attached at its lower end to the lower portion of saidupper rod section, a springcoil'ed around said longitudinal bar andattached at one end to the'l-lower portion of said longitudinal. bar andatthe other end to the central portion of said umbrella canopy, saidspring being adapted to slide longitudinally upon said longitu-t dinalbar, a string locatedwithin said upper rod section,

having one end attachedto the "central portionof. said umbrella canopyand the other endhanging outside said un1brella,, said spring and stringbeing adapted to pull a 1 portion of the umbrella canopy within saidupper rod section when said rib, structure is collapsed j v V p 9. 'Acollapsible-umbrella comprising a central rod having an upper and alower tubular rod section, said upper rod section beingnadapted toslide' telescopically intosaid lower rod-section, a collapsible ribstructure p'ivotallyiattached to thetupper end of said upper'rodsection, an umbrella canopy supported by said colla'psible ribstructure, an eyelet attached to the central-portion of said umbrellacanopy, a longitudinal bar located within said upper rod section andattached at itslo'wer' end to the lower, portion of said upper, rodsection, said eyelet being adapted to slide longitudinally upon saidlongitudinal bar,

a cap attached to the upper portion ofsaid longitudinal "bar above saideyelet, a springicoiled around said longitudinalibar and attached, atone end to the lower portion of said longitudinal bar and at the otherend to said eyelet, said spring being adapted to slide longitudinallyupon said longitudinal bar, a string located within said upper rodsection, having one end attached to said eyelet and the other endhanging outside said umbrella, said spring and string being adapted topull a portion of the umbrella canopy within said upper rod section whensaid rib structure is collapsed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSargent Dec. 17, 1912 Spiro Nov. 24, 1931 Epstein May 29, 1956 VolkerMar. 12, 1957 Hibbard Oct/10, 1961

1. A COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA COMPRISING A CENTRAL ROD HAVING AN UPPER AND ALOWER TUBULAR ROD SECTION, SAID UPPER ROD SECTION BEING ADAPTED TO SLIDETELESCOPICALLY INTO SAID LOWER ROD SECTION, A COLLAPSIBLE RIB STRUCTUREPIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID UPPER ROD SECTION, ANUMBRELLA CANOPY SUPPORTED BY SAID COLLAPSIBLE RIB STRUCTURE, ANDPULLLING MEANS LOCATED AND LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID UPPER RODSECTION AND ATTACHED AT ITS UPPER END END TO THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAIDUMBRELLA CANOPY, SAID PULLING MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO PULL A PORTION OFTHE UMBRELLA CANOPY WITHIN SAID UPPER ROD SECTION WHEN SAID RIB STRUTUREIS COLLAPSED.